éOUT fought, out battled and out played,é was Brian Hortonés angry verdict on his teamés tired submission to derby rivals Rochdale.

The Macclesfield manager offered no excuses, stating that his team were supposed to be professional footballers and therefore quite capable of playing two games in a week following their epic encounter with Carlisle four days earlier.

"I sat them down at a long team meeting, told them how important this game was and what to expect, but they did not turn up," he fumed. "When I was a player I was the captain and had a reputation for cajoling those around me, but all I really did was toss the coin because we had 11 captains on the field. We didnét have one leader, not one player driving forward the others.

"I felt the defenders let down Alan Fettis, but then [Peter] Schmeichel would not have stood for it and would have been at his defenders to do their job properly."

Even though the Silkmen dropped further into the relegation quicksand, Horton would not entertain thoughts of relegation. "Do me a favour," he barked at such a negative suggestion. "There are 11 games to play for and 33 points to win, and we only need another eight points - we are not going to be relegated."

Macc had the better of the opening exchanges with John Miles looking dangerous. His snapshot from 15 yards was straight at Matt Gilkes before the forward pulled the ball back to Paul Harsley who, at full stretch, slid the ball wide. Danny Whitaker then went close, fizzing a 20-yard shot inches over the angle.

But it was the elegant Rickie Lambert who graced his former stomping ground with moments of sheer quality; his precise cross set ting up Rory McArdle to head home a 26th-minute opener. Dale extended their lead two minutes after the break when Lambert, leading the division in assists, provided another goal with a powerful shot that Fettis could only palm wide. Iysden Christie was first to react smashing a shot against the upright, the ball bounding back into the net off the unlucky Danny Swailes.

The hosts were handed a lifeline when Matt McNeil headed on a Harsley corner for Miles to prod home a close range volley. And they thought they had equalised three minutes later, but McNeil fluffed a glorious first chance on his Football League debut, and then blocked a defender as he manoeuvred the ball into the net at the second attempt. Horton said: "The ref said it was push and his assistant said it was handball, so you work that one out."

Macclesfield then visibly wilted allowing Dale to seize control and they deservedly sealed the game in the 83rd minute when midfield warrior Ernie Cooksey crossed for Lambert to glance home his 16th goal of the season.